< Previous On the heels of the David E. Williams Middle School’s tremendously successful run of “Frozen, JR.,” Montour is pleased to announce the return of Broadway veteran Danny Herman as producer and director of the high school’s spring musical. At the time of this writing, the show that will be performed is still being decided. Herman, a Pittsburgh native and Bishop Canevin alumnus, is no stranger to the Montour stage. He contributed to four prior productions before relocating to Austin, Texas, where he has spent 10 years teaching at St. Edwards University. His return home also includes teaching engagements at Point Park University and the Civic Light Opera. Herman brings with him a wealth of experience, including both training in and teaching of theater, dance, jazz and tap at schools throughout the country. “I’m so happy to be back here, back home,” said Herman. “I’ve been fortunate to have a career that took me all over, but it’s a special thing to be able to come home and share what I’ve learned. And after being in Texas for so long, I think I missed seasons.” Options for this year’s show have been narrowed down to two. According to Herman, he is approaching the final selection with a different mindset, one that allows him to make a choice well- suited to Montour’s many talented performers so as to maximize the opportunities available. “We decided to meet with the interested students and consider what would be the best fit before we settled on anything,” said Herman. “I was blown away. The talent here, it’s remarkable. Voice, dance, acting, timing - they make it easy because there’s so much to work with, but difficult because you want to find something to showcase them all.” Herman will be joined by choreographer Rocker Verastique, also a Broadway alumnus. Verastique previously worked on a half-dozen Broadway shows and national tours, and was a featured dancer in the television series “Fame.” The two have collaborated on several previous occasions, leading to a creative and effective working dynamic. “It’s really important to us that we get this right,” said Herman. “This is an opportunity for a lot of kids that, everything else equal, may not have had an interest in the arts otherwise. Maybe we can give them a look at a different outlet they may not have realized is available to them. I know the faculty, administration, and Board are behind all of us, and we’re sure we’ll get the student body and public behind us too. It’s a team effort, though. Parents, crew, performers, volunteers, ushers - we’re all ready to put in all the time and sweat to make sure it pays off.” Curtains will rise in April, and the production promises to be one of the spring’s highlights. When asked if Gene Kelly awards could be on the horizon, Herman chuckled. “I actually met Gene Kelly once,” he said. “He was an inspiration. We would of course love for our students to be recognized, but it’s not what we’re focusing on. We’re focusing on making this a fun production and learning experience for the cast and crew. We want to convey that, however big or small you think your role might be, really learning that role and performing it the best you can is absolutely critical to everyone’s success.” New director and choreographer announced for musical For the third consecutive year, the Montour High School Student Council was named a Distinguished Keystone Council of Excellence by the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils. The honor, in part, recognizes a student council that has demonstrated a commitment to establishing a balanced set of activities and achieving the goals it set out at the beginning of the year. The distinguished designation is the highest form of the award. This also marks the fourth year that Montour High School Student Council received a Keystone Council Award. Co-advisors for the Montour High School Student Council are Mike Waldron and Dr. Katie Mercandante, who was recently named the recipient of the PASC Linda Greb High School Student Advisor of the Year Award. Mercandante was nominated by student members of Montour’s student council and is now in the running for the Warren Shull Advisor of the Year Award, which recognizes winners in a national region. Montour is in Region 2, which is comprised of schools in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. One of those regional winners will then be recognized as the National High School Advisor of the Year. Throughout the year, the student council plans a variety of events, including Student Appreciation Week, which fosters a positive school community through a variety of fun activities. Student council also hosts the annual Track-or- Treat event for Montour Elementary School students, the annual Homecoming Interlude and philanthropic events such as Adopt A Family and Socktober. In February, Montour will host schools from across Allegheny, Greene and Washington counties for the Region B conference. At the conference, various student councils will hear from internationally known speaker Stu Saunders, participate in student- run workshops on a variety of topics and network with other student leaders from one of PASC’s biggest regions. The Montour High School Student Council celebrates being named a distinguished council at the statewide Pennsylvania Association of Student Council meeting this past November. Student council again named distinguished council, to host regional conference Follow Montour High School @hilltopspartan 30 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2020 Last year, students in Christina Ferko and Pam DiIanni’s environmental sustainability course began collaborating with ALCOSAN on a project that challenged students to devise a way to incorporate green infrastructure into the high school campus. In so doing, students were tasked with creating an outdoor environment for educational, extracurricular and therapeutic purposes. The design students came up with was a courtyard with bioswals, trees and an instructional seating area. Their concept included boulders for seating, benches and a pathway connecting the high school’s existing courtyard entrances. Now, students and faculty are working to make the idea a reality. The project will lend new use to a currently unoccupied space sitting at the end of the main entry hallway. Plans call for resurfacing of the courtyard and bringing in richer soil. It will also incorporate student artwork and additional design elements. “The courtyard is meant to be a space for students to utilize for both instructional and non-instructional purposes,” says DiIanni. “It will allow students time to access an outdoor learning environment that will also support the mental health and wellness initiatives of the school community.” Students who participated in the project development phase last year presented their ideas in front of a panel of professionals at ALCOSAN. They also presented their ideas to school administration and the school board, in the process gaining the support of both. With the entire school community now behind the idea, this year’s class is raising additional funding sources to bring the courtyard to fruition. One way the class is raising funds is by selling personalized bricks to the general public. These bricks will be incorporated into the courtyard’s pathway. Funds raised will allow the class to purchase trees, shrubs, seating and additional components. Personalized bricks are $75 apiece and multiple bricks can also be purchased. Separate forms should be filled out for each brick and can be purchased at: tinyurl.com/mhsbrick. Environmental sustainability class raising funds to transform high school courtyard Over the past few years, Montour has been fortunate to welcome a number of different Holocaust survivors to speak at the high school. These survivors have talked with English 10 students about their harrowing childhood experiences in Nazi-occupied countries. The talks have provided students studying that very dark time in European history with a vivid window into it. This year, Holocaust survivor Shulamit Bastacky visited to talk with students in Integrated Studies 10, which is being taught for the first time this year at the high school. The innovative new course combines English 10 and History 10, utilizing material with common content that would normally be taught separately. Integrated Studies 10 curriculum teachers Pam DiIanni, Gina Ligouri and Kara Olshenske invited Bastacky after students traveled to the South Side Works to view a film and hear her talk via an event arranged through Teen Screen. During the event, Bastacky shared her story of survival as a hidden child during the Holocaust. During her subsequent visit to Montour, Bastacky talked further about her experiences and answered questions. She also brought with her several teddy bears and discussed their significance to her. As a child, she explained, a teddy bear was her first toy and she had developed a passion for them. She even challenged Integrated Studies 10 students to collect teddy bears and follow in her philanthropic ways. Students accepted that challenge and launched a weeklong collection at both the high school and elementary school. Their efforts resulted in the collection of 100 bears, which students will deliver to local orphanages, police departments and emergency rooms for professionals to use at their discretion when encountering a child in need. Students plan to meet with Shulamit again to share their collection experience and express their gratitude to her for her visit to Montour. Integrated Studies 10 welcomes Holocaust survivor ABOVE: High school students in last year’s environmental sustainability course came up with a design to revamp this courtyard. BELOW: This year’s students are now selling personalized bricks to help raise a portion of the funds needed. Students in Integrated Studies 10 meet with Holocaust survivor Shulamit Bastacky during her visit to the high school. January/February 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 31 A new course being taught at the high school in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh encourages students to develop leadership skills and then apply those skills to a project. In so doing, students in the college in high school theories of leadership course earn college credits that they can take with them to their post-secondary course of study. They also develop leadership skills they’ll carry with them far beyond their school years. “The course is designed for students who want to lead in order to make a difference,” says Eric D’Antonio, who is teaching the course. “It’s very personal and applicable to a student’s development and everyday life, not to mention their future.” Earlier this year, D’Antonio challenged his first cohort of students in the course to develop and implement an initiative aimed at demonstrating the leadership skills being taught. The idea his students came up with involved getting their peers in various leadership positions throughout the school together in order to discuss organizational strategies. Theories of leadership students saw it as a way for various school leaders from disparate clubs, sports and organizations that may not normally socialize to share ideas and, in the process, possibly discover they have more in common than they realized. “If something works for student council, it might work well for a club like Pet Pals, so it’s just a way for clubs to get different strategies,” says Nathan Knause, who took CHS theories of leadership this past fall. CHS theories of leadership students kicked off their new initiative with a social mixer and then held two more events in the following months. One, an athletes for athletes get-together, invited athletes from various varsity sports to have an informal networking session. Another involved challenging students from various clubs and organizations with a social media scavenger hunt. Theories of leadership students have called their initiative Come Together and Madelon Bolotin, who helped establish it, says she and her classmates are hoping it will spur students to support each others’ clubs and sports. That could mean attending another club’s fundraiser, a team’s game or by other means. Their efforts also coincide with a new effort aimed at prioritizing inclusivity at the high school. Emma Dischner, who was also in the course, says that students realized from the beginning that keeping the idea going would be a challenge. She says that’s why they held a big kick-off event with free food and festivities. The high school even donated t-shirts. Subsequent mixers have taken place during personalized learning time. Students in the fall course are hoping that next semester’s students continue their efforts. The class may also begin selling t-shirts and attempt to find corporate sponsorships to fund their mixers. “We knew that the district-wide goal was cultural inclusivity,” says D’Antonio. “With that in mind, the students decided to make that their focus. They did some research and found out that the student body was in need of a voice and a way to feel empowered. This was the impetus for our school-wide event. This initiative focuses on the importance of relationships in fostering growth in the school community. The course focuses on relationships as the main concept in achieving leadership goals.” New leadership course spurs Come Together initiative Emma Dischner, Bria Washington, Madelon Bolotin and Nathan Knause have been heading up a new initiative at the high school called Come Together. The students are all in CHS theories of leadership, which is taught by Eric D’Antonio (pictured at right). Band members entertain with holiday concerts, welcome symphony’s principal trumpet As the holiday season was approaching last year, music teacher Rob Roehn asked his students what they wanted to play for their various performances in the coming months. Though his students didn’t have much in the way of a preference about selections, they did about venue. “Overwhelmingly they wanted to play for the community,” says Roehn, “for people who might not necessarily come to them.” That led to a rather hectic holiday season for the band, which usually just performs a holiday concert in a school auditorium. Instead, in between Dec. 9 and 19, they performed four concerts, three of which took place out in the community. On Dec. 9, the band traveled to Pittsburgh International Airport to perform on the land-side terminal. Then on Dec. 11, they performed their traditional concert alongside middle school students in the middle school auditorium. On Dec. 12, they headed back out to perform at The Mall at Robinson. The high school jazz band followed that up with a concert at The Willows assisted living facility. Each of the concerts included holiday songs and selections from their concert repertoire. In between all of those performance dates, members of the concert band also got to meet and work with Micah Wilkinson, principal trumpet player for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. During his hour-and-a-half visit, Wilkinson discussed his background and musical career. He also brought along several trumpets, which he demonstrated, and led some workshops. Wilkinson provided feedback and tips in order to help students perform more musically and as a group. An accomplished musician, Wilkinson has held various positions with a half dozen other symphonies across the country. In 2020, the high school jazz ensemble will be performing their annual Jazz Night concert Feb. 6 in the high school auditorium alongside the CAPA Jazz Orchestra and the Duquesne University Jazz Ensemble. The high school concert band will also be performing March 1 alongside the West Hills Symphonic band, March 11 in a district-wide concert and April 7 for its End-of-Year Spring Concert. 32 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2020 Earlier this year, students at DEW Middle School lost a classmate to cancer. The experience prompted the school’s community service committee to spearhead, for the first time, a week of awareness events during Cancer Awareness Month in October. The week, which was in many ways festive, helped to raise awareness of the disease through a number of positive activities. Throughout the week, students wore a different bright color each day to commemorate a different form of cancer and Student Council members held a coinciding fundraising drive to benefit cancer research. On Tuesday, in recognition of ovarian cancer, students wore teal. On Wednesday, students wore orange to recognize leukemia and, on Thursday, they wore yellow to recognize childhood cancer. Students wore pink on Friday, which was also National Breast Cancer Day. The Student Council encouraged participation in the color days by offering ice cream vouchers to students in the room that had the most daily participation. Lori Matarazzo’s home base won four out of the five days and had participation from the entire class. Additionally, Student Council held a donation contest and awarded the homeroom that donated the most money with a pizza party. Dana Ronguaus’ room, which contributed $321, won the contest. In total, the effort raised $1,012 for the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. The following families donated money in memory of a loved one who had lost their battle with cancer: Hornichak Family - In memory of Carol Marsh Oliver Wovchko - In Memory of Alise Lugin Hann Family - In Memory of Joyce and Alan Snell Koziell Family - In memory of James Bradley Frioni Family - In Memory of Mark Bozich Rodriguez Family - In Memory of Pok Sun Choi Fazio-Tempest Family - In memory of Ginger Weyland Marcinko Family - In memory of of Ryan Sammel Dante Fazio - In Memory of Foge Fazio DEW holds first-ever cancer awareness week DEW gets festive with door decorating competition DEW students drove away the winter blues with a door decorating contest this past holiday season. Students were given one week to decorate their homeroom’s door with either a winter or Thanksgiving theme. Students worked together with their classmates and were then judged by a panel comprised of teachers Brenda Ramsar and Mrs. Robin, along with students Nicolette Lyscik, Paulina Sanchez, Marin Torrens and Caitlyn Sill. Five winning doors were named, along with three grade-level winners and one overall winner that received popcorn and 10 bonus points for a food drive that also took place over the holiday season. For more on that, see page 28. Grade-level winners and the Most Unique door also receive five bonus points for the food drive and a popcorn party. Janet Thomas’ sixth grade class and Stacey Johnson’s seventh grade class both tied for the most unique door, while Catherine Klein’s sixth grade, Kathleen Smith’s seventh grade class and Mike Phillips’ eighth grade class were all named grade-level winners. Klein’s door was named the overall winner. Student council organizes pep assembly On Nov. 1, DEW Student Council held a fall pep assembly for grades five through eight that featured a variety of activities. Fifth and sixth grade homebase faced off in a dance competition and, after a difficult decision, judges decided that the winners for the dance competition were Lori Matarazzo’s fifth grade class and Melissa Palmer’s sixth grade class. After the dance competition, teachers played a game of life-sized Hungry Hungry Hippos. Dennis Earley and James Donohue’s teams came out on top. Teams also competed in life-sized version of Sorry. Winners from that game were seventh-graders Josh Klimas and Jaxon Wiesenbach. To finish, eighth-graders also got to play life-sized Hungry Hungry Hippos. The winning team was comprised of Maddox Tarquinio and Parker Brennan. Students enjoy a pep assembly organized by the student council. January/February 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 33PTA members help students shop for family members in Santa Shop. Pictured are October’s Students of the Month. Stay up to date at www.montourschools.com! 34 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2020 Annual tradition brings classic novel to life Each year, as seventh-graders are studying the classic novel “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, they participate in a special activity in order to connect with the time period in which the book is set. This year, students once again held a soc hop dance in the gymnasium and, just like back in the 1950s, they danced to classic tunes while learning to twist and hand jive. They also enjoyed competing in a hula- hoop contest and a car relay contest. As well, students dressed in late 1950s and 1960s attire, choosing either to go as a “greaser” or “soc.” The novel’s plot evolves around a conflict along social lines between the groups, with the lower-class “greasers” on the one side and the upper-class “socs,” or socialites, on the other. Seventh-graders read the novel in their English class. DEW Students of the Month Each month, two students in each grade at David E. Williams Middle School are chosen as students of the month. These individuals exemplify the positive characteristics of a successful student. November’s students of the month were eighth-graders Jana Hess and Jaxon Camp; seventh-graders Brianna Lamarca and Dennis Hopper; sixth-graders Sumedha Chilukuri and Noah Stasa-boy; and fifth-graders Riley Cartwright and Michael Dodd. David E. Williams students of the month for November are pictured with school principal Dominic Salpeck and assistant principal Mike Marvin. PTA hosts Santa Shop at MES The elementary PTA once again hosted a Santa Shop for elementary students this past December. The special weeklong event gave students the opportunity to shop for Christmas presents for their family members. PTA member Kristen Gabrielli, who has organized the event for the past 10 years, says that the PTA purchases its gifts from the Dollar Tree in Robinson Township using a 10 percent discount the store gives them. Items are then sold for $1 apiece. She pointed out that the event is not a fundraiser. Rather, the small amount of money left over at the end of the Santa Shop is used to help children who can’t afford gifts for family members. Throughout the week, MES parents donated their time to help walk students through the shop, which was set up with signs indicating appropriate gifts for various family members, whether they be grandma, grandpa, uncles, aunts, siblings, mom or dad. Gabrielli says that parents enjoy working with the children and helping them figure out why certain family members would enjoy certain gifts. MES Students of the Month Every month during the school year, students from each grade in either Team Curiosity or Team Discovery at Montour Elementary School are chosen as Students of the Month. These students are chosen for exhibiting appropriate behavior, performing random acts of kindness, demonstrating improvement in academic areas and exhibiting self-control. The honor can also recognize a deserving student with a quiet disposition. Students of the Month for October were kindergartener Juliana Johnston; first-graders Cabot Lyon and Angela Marshall; second- graders Case Martinec and Madeleine Livesay; third-graders Arion Hunter-Dennis and Vienna Kamenar; and fourth-graders Noah Halaja and Kinzley Lippert. Alexandra Leise, Bella Magliocco, Sydnee Gyory, Gannon Kadlecik, RJ Stetz and Luke Persinger all attended the WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit at the Heinz History Center on Nov. 19 January/February 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 35 Varsity Athletics ADMINISTRATION (412) 490-6500 Dr. Christopher Stone Superintendent (412) 490-6500, ext. 6221 stonec@montourschools.com Dr. Justin Aglio Director of K-4 Academic Achievement and K-12 Innovation (412) 490-6500 x 6230 aglioj@montourschools.com Dr. Eric Sparkenbaugh Director of 5-12 Academic Achievement and K-12 Support Services (412) 490-6500 sparkenbaughe@montourschools.com Dr. Robert Isherwood Director of Special Education and Pupil Services 412-490-6500, ext. 6102 isherwoodb@montourschools.com Mr. Darryl Yonkers Director of Operations (412) 490-6500 x 6510 yonkersd@montourschools.com Mrs. Susan Sinicki Director of Human Resources 412-490-6500, ext. 6235 sinickis@montourschools.com Mrs. Anna Borsos Business Manager (412) 490-6500, ext. 6232 borsosa@montourschools.com Mr. Bob Wagner Transportation Director (412) 490-6500, ext. 4700 wagnerb@montourschools.com Mr. Lou Cerro Athletic Director (412) 490-6500, ext. 1627 cerrol@montourschools.com HIGH SCHOOL (412) 490-6500 Mr. Todd Price Principal (412) 490-6500, ext. 1612 pricet@montourschools.com Dr. Jason Burik High School Principal of Academic and Student Affairs (412) 490-6500 ext. 4312 burikjason@montourschools.com DAVID E. WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL (412) 771-8802 Mr. Dominick Salpeck Principal (412) 771-8802, ext. 2611 salpeckd@montourschools.com Mr. Michael Marvin Assistant Principal (412) 771-8802, ext. 2612 marvinm@montourschools.com MONTOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (412) 490-6500 Mr. Jason Shoaf Principal (412) 490-6500 ext. 4313 shoafj@montourschools.com Mr. Robert Carlisle Principal (412) 490-6500, ext. 1615 carlisler@montourschools.com Golf team finishes third at MACs First year golf coaches Trent Karlik and Nate Galiyas went into this past season with some promising young talent and finished third at the prestigious MAC golf championships. Shane Woodall scored a 71 to medal and Sarah Vietmeier both tied for 10th place and medaled at the girls MAC championship with a score of 88. Newcomer Dustin Geragach, meanwhile, reached the WPIAL individual championships at Fox Chapel, where he competed against the top high school golfers in the WPIAL. The team will have five seniors, four juniors and eight sophomores returning next year Fall sports players get all-section nods Three Spartan sports teams earned playoff berths this past fall season and a number of players from those teams have since been named to all-section teams. On the football team, 10 players earned various honors after the team reached the post- season for the 12th time in the past 13 years. Players and their honors are as follows: Dom Magliocco, second team wide receiver, first team defensive back, defensive player of the year; George Padezanin, first team offensive and defensive line; Logan Persinger, first team team linebacker; Robbie Rippole, first team kicker; Gannon Kadlecik, second team running back, second team linebacker; Dom Sprys, second team center; and Justin Labrie, second team defensive end. Luke Persinger also earned an honorable mention at quarterback as did Danny Pintar at linebacker and Anthony Guidone at defensive back. The girls volleyball team, meanwhile, reached the playoffs for the third consecutive year, this time without a single senior on the team. The team appears to have a bright future next year. Alex Leise earned first team all-section honors and second team all-WPIAL honors while Amber Collins and Raegan Kadlecik both earned second team all-section nods. Mia Arndt and Kylie Barto earned third team all-section honors. On the soccer team, Arina Dillinger, Sarah Malinsky and Ava Scrabis all earned all-section honors. The team earned a playoff bid after closing its regular season with a 10-7-3 record. With just four seniors graduating, the team also appears to have high expectations for next season. Spartans attend sportsmanship summit Six junior Montour student-athletes attended the WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit at the Heinz History Center on Nov. 19. Over 100 area school districts attended the important event. Topics discussed included sportsmanship, proper use of social media, and respecting peers, both on and off the field. Attending the summit were Alexandra Leise, Bella Magliocco, Sydnee Gyory, Gannon Kadlecik, RJ Stetz and Luke Persinger.GRAND TETONS When we traveled through Jackson Hole years ago, we were fascinated by beautiful Jenny Lake, a two- mile long by 250-foot deep body of water - a photographer’s delight. Did you know that the Tetons have 12 peaks that tower above 12,000 feet? Or that the mountains support a dozen glaciers? While staying over in the cowboy town of Jackson Hole, the day will afford time to explore the Grand Tetons on your own. Besides day trips that Collette will offer for water fun on either Jenny Lake or the Snake River, a 42-mile drive is a terrific way to feel the magnificence of the mountains and enjoy the numerous scenic turnouts. Teton Park Road winds around the base of the Teton Range. During the drive, experience the Snake River Overlook, the Menors Ferry Historic District, and views of Jenny Lake. Wildlife abounds, so you’ll most likely spot some elk, moose, bison and maybe even a bear or two. This is a hiker’s paradise if you’re up for adventure. Try the Taggart Lake Trail, a three-mile round-trip hike that will reward you with a view of the lake, surrounding meadows and conifer groves. The elevation is just 400 feet. Take time before any of the day’s adventures to stop at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor’s Center to pick up maps and information. While there, enjoy the floor to ceiling windows that look out on the impressive mountains and enjoy an excellent documentary film on the park. The Grand Tetons are reflected in Jenny Lake. National Parks of America Tour with Pat Jennette Five Parks in the American West Aug. 8-20, 2020 More Information and to book: gateway.gocollette.com/link/985315 or travel@awmagazine.com Editor’s Note: Allegheny West Magazine is teaming up with Collette to offer a unique opportunity to readers. Next August, Collette Vacations will be leading a trip to some of the country’s premier national parks out west with this magazine’s publisher emeritus, Pat Jennette. Now a seasoned traveler, Pat has made it her mission since she retired in 2013 to visit all of the country’s national parks. In our last edition, Pat wrote about the second leg of the trip. This column picks up where the second left off: If you’ve been reading this article series, you already know that Allegheny West Magazine has partnered with Collette to offer an amazing 12-day tour of the national parks of the West next August. This is the third and final article showcasing this National Parks Tour. The tour is starting to fill! If you’ve ever thought about taking a trip completely planned out by someone else - with airfare, transportation, lodging, meals and more included - to some of our most popular national parks, this is an incredible opportunity! The tour starts Aug. 8 in Scottsdale, Arizona and ends Aug. 20 in Rapid City, South Dakota. The entire tour includes Scottsdale, Sedona, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, Salt Lake City and more. For more information, visit gateway.gocollette.com/ link/985315 or send an email to travel@awmagazine.com. This article will give you an insight into more of our country’s beautiful national parks that are part of this tour. 36 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2020Mount Rushmore is one of the final stops on the trip. YELLOWSTONE This park is a MUST SEE. It’s known as one of the “big daddies” of the National Park Service. Our visit to Yellowstone was in the month of June many years ago. We spent two days here, experienced a very cold overnight stay that forced us to sleep in our van, and saw Old Faithful in its heightened glory. Being on a tour, the experience this time will be much more comfortable due to the tour bus and hotel accommodations! Yellowstone has fascinated visitors ever since it was deemed a national park in 1872. Today, nearly 150 years later, its thermal pools, geysers, mud pots, hot springs and wildlife draw visitors from around the world. Yellowstone is a geologic wonder and changes from season to season. At last record, there were more than 10,000 geothermal features in the park, of which 500 are geysers. The most famous one, Old Faithful, averages 130 feet high, lasts for up to five minutes, and spouts on a regular schedule - hence why it’s called “Old Faithful.” Boardwalks throughout the park’s geothermic areas allow visitors to get a closer view of these bubbling water features. The tour will exit the park on its east side as we head to Cody, stopping at the Buffalo Bill Center before going on to Sheridan for the evening. On this leg, the spectacular Yellowstone Lake provides eye candy and a terrific opportunity for photographers. MOUNT RUSHMORE AND CRAZY HORSE This day is a two-for-one opportunity to view iconic landmarks that pay tribute to the importance of both Native Americans and our nation’s early progress. Dedicated to the Native Americans of this great land, the Crazy Horse monument has been a work in progress for decades. Carved using private funds, it represents the image of Tasuke Witco, leader of the Oglala Lakota Indians, who fought for and defended the Lakota people until his demise. The carving’s completion isn’t expected any time soon. Begun seven decades ago, and drawing more than one million visitors annually, the monument is a dedication to perseverance and persistence. While here, visitors can explore the Native American Cultural Center and hear Native Americans discuss the movements of their dances and the significance of wearing different feathers and clothes. One of our country’s most famous landmarks - Mount Rushmore - will give us an up-close opportunity to see the massive carvings of four presidents. When we visited this monument, we were entertained with a fabulous evening presentation of patriotic music and lights as we sat in the bleachers looking up at the monument. Walk the Avenue of the Flags as you approach the monument and the short Presidential Trail to see the monument up close. Visit the Sculptor’s Studio and enjoy the surrounding Black Hills of South Dakota that encompass the monument area. Do you know who the four presidents are on the monument? They’re George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Why these presidents, you may ask? The monument is dedicated to the first 150 years of America’s history and the four presidents who were known to be the most significant to the country’s progress during that era. The tour will end this evening with a farewell dinner and a special presentation by a local Lakota Native American. We’ll depart the next morning from Rapid City for home. As one who has visited all but two of the spectacular stops on this tour, I can highly recommend this trip! It’s a way to see so much of our nation’s beauty in such a well-planned timeframe. Join us Jan. 14 to learn more! Pat Jennette is the founder and now publisher emeritus of Allegheny West Magazine. A former North Fayette Township resident, she and her husband became full-time RVers upon retiring with the goal to visit every national park. They are members/supporters of the National Park Foundation, National Parks Travelers Club, and the National Parks Conservation Association. Pat has presented programs on the national parks at local libraries and at RV parks around the U.S. Their goal is to visit all 61 national parks, which are part of the 419 total national park sites that cover all 50 states as well as American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These include national monuments, seashores, historic sites and others. During our stop in Yellowstone to see Old Faithful, you’ll also be able to see the Grand Prismatic Spring. Mammoth Hot Springs Hill is yet another geothermic feature in Yellowstone. January/February 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 37I t’s a well-known fact that the senior population in the U.S. will continue to grow over the next two decades, as baby boomers age and live longer than previous generations. According to the PEW Research Center, each day 10,000 people in the U.S. turn 65, which is creating greater demand not only for health services but also care facilities, in-home aids and other related services. A Fox Business projection for the coming decade estimates that industries related to senior care will comprise one of the three biggest emerging markets in the nation’s economy. Many family members, too, are feeling the pressure as the responsibilities associated with The challenges of being a caregiver caring for their aging loved ones falls to them. In so doing, these caregivers are finding themselves confronting a myriad of delicate and difficult legal, financial and personal issues as they try to determine what is best not only for their loved ones, but also for themselves. Such became the case for Findlay Township resident Patti Opacic after her father passed away in early 2019, which left her mother living alone in her Whitehall home where Opacic was raised. Up to that point, Opacic’s parents had managed to remain independent solely because of their reliance on each other and the close proximity of several relatives who checked in when Opacic couldn’t be there. Following her father’s death, Opacic wasn’t sure if her mother was capable of independence in the home. Opacic also knew that her mother didn’t want to live alone. Thus began an eight-month journey for Opacic of exploring various scenarios of care for her mother, which ultimately resulted in the sale of their family’s Whitehall home and renovations to Opacic and her husband, Rade’s, Westbury residence to accommodate her mother’s needs. Opacic’s situation is not unique. Recent statistics from AARP state that there are 43.5 million unpaid, untrained caregivers providing support for loved ones in the U.S., with 21.6 million of these caregivers also holding jobs. An additional AARP statistic reports that 84 percent of caregivers need more information and assistance. The trend is also impacting U.S. companies, which reportedly lose $38.2 billion annually due to employee caregiving responsibilities. Statistics reveal that 92 percent of employed caregivers - most often women - have their employment hours or structure impacted. Seventy-nine percent of caregivers working full- or part- time have missed work in the past 12 months to attend to their care recipient’s needs. The Pittsburgh region represents just a fraction of these numbers, yet the area has a particularly high senior population. A 2016 Forbes Magazine report named Pittsburgh the second highest metropolitan area in the country for seniors, behind only the Tampa-St. Petersburg region of Florida. A significant 18.3 percent of Pittsburgh’s residents are over the age of 65, a number 26 percent higher than the national average. Further complicating matters are Pittsburgh’s older residences, which are often not suited to the changing needs of an aging body. Many of the homes in which seniors continue living, either by choice or because they can’t afford other options, contain steep staircases, bathrooms on the upstairs level and laundry equipment in the basement. Children of failing elderly parents thus often spend more time at these residences assisting with daily tasks, personal care and, in many cases, medical needs for which they have received no training. A 2016 University of Pittsburgh study called “Addressing the Needs of Caregivers at Risk” cited the current situation for caregivers as “unsustainable.” According to Cyndy Glynn, business development director for the Moon Township-based nonprofit Hope Grows, many caregivers get overwhelmed and exhausted to the point that they forget to care for themselves. They often feel alone, forgotten and stressed. Through Hope Grows, caregivers can receive mental health support, resources and counseling. Its clients can receive monthly “check-in” phone calls, schedule face-to-face visits, or join small support groups. They can also visit its gardens for some relaxation time. Last year, the organization assisted 418 caregivers, up from 369 the previous year. The number of counseling and support hours in that period increased from 496 to 670. The nonprofit was founded in 2013 by Lisa Story, a professional counselor and certified thanatologist, which is one who studies the mechanisms of dealing with death and dying. She started running the organization out of her Shafer Road residence, where she lives with her husband, Charles. The couple was recently approved by the township to transition their residence into the Iris Respite House bed and breakfast for caregivers, to be operated by Hope Grows. As the senior population grows, caregivers face the challenges and consider what services are best STORY BY JILL BORDO PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY Patti Opacic is pictured here with her mother, Draga Bartos, in their Findlay Township home. 38 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2020{ Legal considerations Aside from the strain on their personal lives, caregivers and their family members can also face complex legal issues with potentially major financial consequences. In Opacic’s case, she worked with the elder care law firm Julian Gray Associates in Greentree (see more information about them on the next page) to deal with issues she says she could have never worked out herself. Jennifer Rose, CELA, an attorney with Julian Gray Associates, uses the word “tricky” to describe the components of transitioning a senior’s assets and finances to set up late-life housing and care. Rose says that it is critical for families to establish a plan for aging sooner than later so as to take full advantage of programs such as Medicaid and the Veterans Administration. “The earlier you plan, the more options you have,” she stated. One of the biggest challenges to family caregivers, said Rose, is unawareness of the fact that they can legally receive a reoccurring income from government sources for providing care. Another example of advance planning is the transfer of a family home to an adult child who has moved in to care for a parent. A specific legal process done at least two years prior to a parent moving into a facility or passing away can prohibit state recovery of the home. According to Michele Conti, an elder law attorney who heads Conti Law in Moon Township, another legal issue that can affect families of those suffering from dementia or another mentally declining state is power of attorney. If a court declares that individual to be incapacitated, their assets can essentially become frozen. At that point, neither they, their child nor even their spouse can access those assets. The financial burden of everything from in-home care to basic necessities can then fall entirely on the caregiver. Obtaining guardianship at that point can take months and cost thousands of dollars. Conti said that’s why she suggests families consult with an attorney to determine power of attorney well before such a situation arises. She writes about power of attorney in her regular column in this edition of Allegheny West Magazine on page 15. “All too often people neglect the power of attorney and go straight to the will,” said Conti. “We have legal parameters from the state about who gets everything when they pass, but the same isn’t true for power of attorney.” She also cautioned being aware if a loved one is pitching in for rent, as the government can consider those payments gifts, which can in turn affect their Medicare assistance if they do decide to move into an assisted living facility. Continued on page 40 Helpful Tips for Caregivers: 1) Stay organized and have a system for tracking care details. Keep a notebook or Online journal of the care recipient’s health issues, medications and test results. More importantly, if multiple people are acting as caregivers, have a centrally located daily log for updates by anyone visiting. You may think you’ll remember to share information, but don’t take a chance. Write it down. 2) Prevent falls through easy and inexpensive measures such as removing throw rugs, keeping floor paths free of books, cords and other objects, and maintaining good lighting, especially in stairwells. 3) Invest in equipment or technology that gives a care recipient more independence and makes your job easier. From grab bars in the bathroom to electric chair lifts, the right equipment can be life-altering for everyone. Research other ways to simplify care such as pre-sorted daily medicine packets, which are provided by many pharmacies. 4) Accept help from family and friends when they offer it. Remember: if your health suffers or you become injured, your care recipient will also suffer. 5) Use Online tools. Many websites provide videos on everything from dressing wounds of care recipients to relaxation techniques for caregivers. The AARP Caregiver Resource Center is one good option (www. aarp.org/nolongeralone). The Pennsylvania Homecare Association offers helpful videos (learningcenter.pahomecare.org) as well as a free magazine called Secrets No One Told You About Family Caregiving. January/February 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 39Next >